Finished Project

For one reason or another....a bit of crochet has been what I have been picking up to work at when I have a chance.  I have finished up several more cute if not so useful apple jackets......and this vintage hot mat as well.  The pattern has been around a long time and I have seen several made of this pattern over the years.....but had never owned one.  This one was made with no one in mind.........so, for now I will look at it now and again.  If any one likes yellow, just let me know.  It's yours if you'd like it!  It's 5 1/4 inches square, double layered, and a nice little spot to set down your teapot.  If you'd like to make one of your own, the pattern is right here.

Gone in a flash......Brownies

I could barely snap a photo of this brownie before I was down to the last slice.  So I made one more pan...I still wanted to take a better photo and I am finding myself down to the last row in the pan......again.  I cannot seem to keep up with the pace of eating this one.....i give up.  It is a handy brownie recipe to keep on file as it requires only cocoa powder.......no melted chocolate.  It is super fudgy too which is two thumbs up in by books.  I highly recommend you try just one piece of this one.......I dare you to try just one;) I would also recommend this recipe as a very good recipe for your kids to try as it is all in one bowl with no fancy instruction.

Brownies (brownie recipe from Mennonite Girls can Cook)
3/4 cup butter or hard margarine (melted)
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour

Melt butter or margarine and mix in the cocoa powder until smooth.  Now do the same with the sugar.  Mix in the beaten eggs and vanilla, and finally stir in the flour.  The batter will be thick, but do your best to spread this into a well greased 9X13 inch pan.  (I will next try this in a 9X9 pan as these brownie are pretty thin).  Bake at 350F just until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.  In my convection oven, that is about 20 minutes.  Original recipe calls for 30 minutes of cooking time.....but I like err on the side of gooey when it comes to brownies.

Rhubarb Lunar Cake

We had perfectly lovely weather this weekend for Mother's Day, and it was a very busy weekend as well.  On Saturday Ike was in the May Day parade with his scouting group, and Sunday the scouting group went to the movies.  It was beautiful weather for a bit of yard work too.  While Ike was enjoying the movie, we took the opportunity to go shopping for bedding out plants for the yard.  Gladiolus are now planted, black currant pruned, rhubarb and sour cherries fertilized and I was pretty pleased to find a different sour cherry shrub that I've been looking for on sale!  After a very satisfying and somewhat productive weekend, we needed a little something sweet for lunches for the upcoming week.  With rhubarb season just around the corner....I thought I'd better use up some of the rhubarb still in my freezer from last year.  And what better than a Rhubarb Lunar cake.......simple, quick and yummy too.  This is a nice homey dessert to bring to a pot luck or picnic or to put away and freeze.  Also nice served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with pouring custard.....or just on its own.

Rhubarb Lunar Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped rhubarb
1 tbsp flour
Topping
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar packed

Cream together softened butter and sugar.  Mix in egg and vanilla.  Sift flour, baking soda and salt together into a separate bowl and add them alternately to the creamed mixture with the buttermilk in thirds.  Toss the rhubarb with flour and stir into the batter.  Pour into a greased 9X13" pan and level out the batter. (Batter will be fairly stiff).  Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.  Bake in a 350F oven for 30-45  minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, but no wet batter.